Let's Make This More Interesting

What is the value of surprise to us in becoming more interesting? And how does one of today's most stimulating thinkers stay so consistently surprising himself? In Part 1 of a two part conversation, Adam sits down with Rory Sutherland - Vice Chairman of Ogilvy, behavioural science evangelist, and endlessly fascinating reframer of what we thought we knew - to talk about why surprise matters. As he points out, sometimes the right thing to be is completely unsurprising: there will always be, after all "a market for "the drearily predictable." But if you're trying to change behaviour - to challenge, disrupt, or eat the big fish - then surprise becomes essential. Because the brain isn't built to notice what it expects. It's built to notice what breaks the pattern. In this first half of the conversation, Rory explores: What is ‘Just the right amount of weird’?Why it is that we give disproportionate attention to what find surprisingHow all human perception is context-dependent, and why recontexting is so powerfulWhy the healthiest creative human activity is to try on as many frames as we canWhat it means to bring a Game Theorist’s mindset to everything we do - even the way we take holidays. And why, in fact, surprise might be the most cost-efficient way to earn attention there is. __ Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish: the strategic consultancy that helps ambitious Challengers to grow.Follow Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/  Thanks to our editor Ruth and our producer Rachael. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to make iconic work with iconic founders – when nobody out there cares about you or your product? And why might having ADHD be a gift in helping you think about how to overcome that? In our Season 3 opener, Adam Morgan sits down with Andy Berndt, former agency leader and the founding force behind Google’s Creative Lab. Andy has worked alongside some of the most uncompromising figures in modern business — from Steve Jobs, Phil Knight and Michael Jordan to Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai — and has been at the heart of some of the most celebrated and impactful creative work coming out of America in the last 30 years. As account director, copywriter and client. A unique perspective. Andy reflects on: Why “nobody out there cares” can – and perhaps should – be the beginning of any great creative work. The particular talent that Steve Jobs and Phil Knight brought to assessing the work they were presented withHow humour in the room is often the doorway to the breakthrough ideaWhether clients get the creative work they deserve  And how Google’s Creative Lab grew from small stickers to Super Bowl spotsAlong the way, he explains how his ADHD became a creative advantage, why briefs are sometimes best answered with a poster instead of a presentation, and how “kids with crayons” built some of the most celebrated work of the digital era, including the now-famous “Parisian Love” film.__Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish: the strategic consultancy that helps ambitious Challengers to grow.Follow Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/ Thanks to our editor Ruth and our producer Rachael. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this chat, Bruce Daisley, former MD of YouTube UK and author of The Joy of Work, explores how to inject joy back into the workplace. He discusses the surprising factors that drain engagement, like meeting overload and digital fatigue, while emphasizing the importance of laughter and social bonds for team cohesion. Strategies for enhancing psychological safety and positive affect are shared, alongside practical tips for regaining control of calendars. Daisley also highlights the collective strength of resilience and offers insights on leveraging AI to enhance human connection at work.

We’re at an inflection point in how we engage people about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Gail Gallie believes: we now need a completely new model – ‘The gloves are off’. Gail left a successful career in advertising and at the BBC to help set up Project Everyone with campaigner and film director Richard Curtis – their aim: to communicate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to everyone in the world in one week. 10 years later, she remains a relentless campaigner and innovator around communicating the SDGs, including the podcast she hosts with Loyiso Madinga, ‘An Idiot’s Guide to Saving The World’. In this week's episode, Gail and Adam discuss:How the combination of a big ambition and a fierce time constraint drove breakthrough solutions for Project EveryoneThe new context: how the whole world has changed, and we need to move on from the old model nowWhat this new model of impact campaigning should look like The role of surprise here, and how to get the most value from itWhy the creative campaigning community now has to go for brokeWhat it means to engage people in the conversation where they care when it comes to the SDGs, and in language they can relate to And, in Richard Curtis’ words ‘What is the sound of hope we can make against the noise of despair?’__Follow Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/ Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth, our producer Travis, and to Tiny Podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Tran, former Global Head of Marketing at TikTok, shares insights from his dynamic career in branding and marketing. He explores how TikTok's unique platform is reshaping brand strategies and highlights the importance of aligning marketing with cultural trends. Tran discusses his innovative 'Project Cheetah,' which sped up campaign development, and emphasizes the creativity that constraints can spark. He advocates for in-house creative teams and the need for brands to embrace adaptability and risk-taking to thrive in a post-TikTok world.

For 10 years Sara Stark was part of the team helping the founders of Dishoom build their restaurant brand and business – a brand that is as rich, engaging and layered as so many other restaurants are superficial and glib.It’s a conversation about stories, and curiosity, and inventiveness, and layering, and pushing the idea. About a continual commitment to exploring and digging and experimenting and keeping things fresh. About thinking about what it means to be different, genuinely different and engaging, in a way that seems entirely unlike the rest of the business.If you are remotely interested in brand building, experience or culture the Dishoom story is an inspiration.Connect with Sara on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-stark-creative-marketing/Explore the layers of the Dishoom story at https://www.dishoom.com/__Follow Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/ Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth, our producer Travis, and to Tiny Podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warren Berger began exploring how to ask better questions through a journalistic interest in innovation. He’s come to believe the importance of questions is much broader than that, and has come on to champion the development of better questioning skills in everything from education to our personal relationships.He has written widely on the topic, including ‘A More Beautiful Question: The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas’.In a discussion of some of his central findings and ideas we talk about:Why the question can be more important than the answerWhat makes a question dull or interestingHow a good question shifts thingsThe power of ‘Questionstorming’How a good question ‘attracts’ answersHis three part model to asking better questionsWhy businesses should think about having Mission Questions, rather than Mission StatementsAnd the power for all of us in having three big questions that guide our lives.Find out about Warren's books on his website: https://warrenberger.com/warren-bergers-books/__Connect with Adam on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-morgan-3a473a/ Let's Make This More Interesting is a podcast from eatbigfish. Thanks to our editor Ruth, our producer Travis, and to Tiny Podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louisa Preston and Luisa Baldini, former BBC reporters and co-founders of Composure Media, share their expertise on distilling complex stories into engaging 90-second pitches. They discuss their 'Hook, Line, and Sinker' model, emphasizing the need to lead with a compelling image and overcome the challenges posed by expertise overload. With anecdotes from their time in journalism, they explore maintaining composure under pressure and empowering women in leadership through confident communication techniques. Their insights are invaluable for anyone looking to communicate effectively.

Join Jeffre Jackson, a branding expert and co-founder of Open Intelligence Agency, and Dave Nottoli, a teaching assistant professor and co-author on interestingness, as they dissect the five key components of what makes advertising engaging. They discuss the power of incongruity in memory retention and why authenticity transcends mere buzzword status. Delve into the significance of details, discover the charm of the Cadbury’s Gorilla ad, and learn how to avoid the allure of empty spectacle in the marketing race for attention.

Faris Yakob, author of 'Paid Attention' and co-founder of Genius Steals, shares his insights on how our attention shapes our identities. He explores the quest for meaningful experiences during his nomadic life and discusses the challenges of capturing genuine attention in a saturated media landscape. Faris contrasts urban versus rural lifestyles and highlights the power of everyday moments over constant novelty. He also warns of the psychological impacts of media consumption while sharing strategies for fostering deeper connections through diverse content.